MERSEYSIDE’S firefighters face an increased risk of cancer because they are absorbing dangerous chemicals through their skin, according to the latest research.

The city’s firefighters had to deal with a massive blaze at the ECHO Arena car park over the New Year, when 1,400 cars were destroyed in a massive fire. Crews has to cope with exploding fuel tanks as the fire gutted the building.

Now new research has claimed that firefighters tackling this kind of blaze are at risk of absorbing dangerous chemicals through their skin from contaminated clothes and equipment.

Anna Stec, lead researcher and professor in fire chemistry and toxicity at the University of Central Lancashire,(UCLan) said: “We have found that contaminated clothing and equipment is causing firefighters to be exposed to alarmingly high amounts of dangerous chemicals, which puts them at a greater risk of cancer.

“The UK must do more to tackle the growing issue of cancer in firefighters - we already know the incidence of cancer is higher amongst this profession compared to the general public, and that it is their leading cause of death. We have now identified skin absorption as their principal source of exposure to cancerous gases.”

Read More

Last August firefighters spent nearly a week tackling a waste fire off Hawthorne Road in Bootle. The fire came months after a massive blaze at the European Metal Recycling (EMR) site in Alexandra Dock, which also took several days to extinguish.

In December 2016 crews were sent to a fire at a waste site in Prescot, which sent dangerous smoke across the area.

The research team at UCLan found that the risk of developing cancer in UK firefighters caused by skin absorption of toxic chemicals is as high as 350 times above the level that would result in immediate government intervention in America.

Firefighters at the scene of an incident in Bootle (Image: Colin Lane / Liverpool Echo)

UCLan researchers also discovered that the methods used to clean firefighters’ protective clothing and equipment are not properly implemented. This causes the protective gear to be contaminated for its next use, and means the length of time that skin is exposed to fire toxins is increased.

At present, neither exposure to toxic gases nor their long-term effects on the health of firefighters are officially monitored in the UK, despite cancer deaths in firefighters reportedly growing steadily since the 1970s.

Miss Stec added: “It is time for change. If this level of toxic exposure was found in the US or Canada, Government would immediately put measures in place to monitor the health of firefighters and address this. Countries across Europe are also tackling this problem, with Norway, Sweden and Finland working toward identifying their own solutions.”

Read More

In response to the research Merseyside Fire and Rescue released a statement to the ECHO from the National Fire Chiefs Council. It read: ““NFCC takes the safety and welfare of firefighters extremely seriously and is committed to supporting evidence-based research to understand potential risks.

“As such, a PPE (personal protective equipment) contaminants project board was established in November 2016 which is being delivered by Centre of Applied Science and Technology (CAST) under the auspices of NFCC Research and Development programme.

Emergency services at the scene of a house fire in Anfield Road, Liverpool (Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

“The project was commissioned to better understand any potential risks to firefighters as a consequence of any retained contaminants within their PPE, and to provide guidance and recommendations to the UK fire and emergency services to mitigate any such risk.

“The first objective of the project was a full literature review which has now been completed and a report is due to be published shortly.

“NFCC believes further detailed longitudinal research should be completed to fully understand any potential risks. Of course, if this identifies a problem with our PPE we would want to provide our firefighters with the best protection available.”